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Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is planning to pay a visit to Iran soon, a close aide said on Saturday. "The prime minister will visit Iran soon but I cannot confirm when," the official from Maliki's office told AFP. Iran's Mehr news agency said the Iraqi leader's visit had been set for Monday and that he would hold high-level "regional and international" talks and "also discuss developments in Iraq."

The visit comes as Maliki is trying to finalize coalition talks following March 7 election.

Maliki is on a tour of Middle East capitals aimed at winning support for his premiership. He was in Damascus and set to arrive in Jordan on Sunday.